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Nat Geo photog replaces bags of camera gear w/ iPhone 6s Plus for China photo shoot

Ahead of the launch of the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus tomorrow, National Geographic today published a set of photos shot on the new device. Apple’s SVP of Marketing Phil Schiller pointed us to the article, which follows photographer Mark Leong reflecting on his history of shooting with various devices in China over the last 25 years. Head below for a look at the photos shot on Apple’s new flagship iPhone…

With the upgraded camera on Apple’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus being one of the standout features, Apple has been promoting a number of publications posting images galleries setup and shot on the new iPhone leading up to tomorrow’s launch. First we saw photos from the runways at New York Fashion Week via Vogue, followed by some shots from a recent MLB game published by Sports Illustrated.

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The images above and below from Leong’s piece in National Geographic were all shot on the iPhone 6s Plus while some shots used a tripod and/or Cogitap’s Slow Shutter Cam app. The photos were likely shot on the iPhone 6s Plus rather than the 6s due to the larger model’s optical image stabilization feature that isn’t present on the smaller iPhone. Otherwise, both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus sport the same upgraded camera specs including a new 12-megapixel iSight camera with 1.22µ pixels, improved auto focus, and other software enhancements with iOS 9. 

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More on Leong’s experience and info on where the photos were taken on Nat Geo.

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Comments

  1. Zac Hall - 9 years ago

    Wonder which is heavier

  2. PhilBoogie - 9 years ago

    “f/8 and be there”

  3. thisisasticup - 9 years ago

    long exposure on the one with a the monk?

    • thisisasticup - 9 years ago

      Nevermind found the caption “This was shot on a tripod with Cogitap’s Slow Shutter Cam app”

    • myke2241 - 9 years ago

      probably time lapse. i don’t see the point beyond this generating interest in iPhone 6s and NatGeo. i certainly wouldn’t want to limit the amount of tool at my disposal and one ok walk around lens will kill these images when put in place of a photographer with the same skill. to say the average joe with a iPhone 6s will produce images like this all the time is a joke!

  4. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    They look great, what a camera. I’m sure they used a tripod as well, so in that case they could easily be from the 6s. It still takes the same great photos, just a little more subject to shaky hand than the 6Plus.

    • thisisasticup - 9 years ago

      In the article the photographer describes how he took the shots, i found out after I asked the same thing.

    • tonywmd23 - 9 years ago

      Not that simple. 6s won’t slow down the shutter under ANY circumstances, even with a tripod (you can try talking to siri: I have a goddamn tripod so lower the shutter speed please!) So if you use a 6s for low light condition shooting it’ll still only lighten the picture up by increasing ISO, which brings in more noise. Photos won’t be shaky of course, owing to the tripod, but they’ll still be less vivid and will have a lot more noise than those taken on 6s plus, which has actually let a lot more natural light in when taking the photo.

      • myke2241 - 9 years ago

        you can indeed slow down the shutter but not with the stock iPhone app. There are a lot of other apps in the App Store that give you control over iso and shutter speeds

  5. Inaba-kun (@Inaba_kun) - 9 years ago

    Typical mobile phone shots. Still lots of fuzz and a lack of detail up close. Anyone who compares this to a DSLR is either a troll, or just partially sighted.

  6. aerobat01 - 9 years ago

    Once again proving that the photographer is more important than the camera. But you DO at least need a camera that is capable of making the image you want.

  7. Ron Aiello - 9 years ago

    4K on an iPhone 6s Plus is amazing.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6320kxALjZM

  8. basboyblair - 9 years ago

    Also, got to wonder how many of those stating negative opinions are actually “Professional Photographers” . Bottom line… do you like the pictures shown? If so, then go get the phone and take shots like this. If not… don’t get the phone. Pretty simple. But then, people are so bored with life they simply find stuff to create strife in their lives. Me… not perfect myself, but I enjoy how incredible it is that I will be upgrading form an 5s to a 6s+ and be able to have an all day battery, a camera that will take truly better pictures than I have been able to take before and it all gets saved in the Cloud for safe keeping and to share instantly with friends and family. All this in less than 22 hours from now. Upon getting the phone I will be traveling up to San Francisco by car (so many photo opps and to think a car gets me there in 6 hours as opposed to cover wagon or on foot… another wonder of technology. My car is quite old and yet it gets me there) I will be able to enjoy about 20 different books in electronic and audio version at the touch of a button. So incredible. But hey trolls, you go on debating how ‘This isn’t 100% perfect and this is why…even though I you are not an expert in any way shape or form’ and stay miserable. I plan to enjoy myself Enjoy my friends in San Fran, Enjoy seeing Grace Jones and seeing my friends play o stage the next day and see a bunch of half naked people in various Kink outfits run around the streets having a fantastic time. Worst I will complain about is… my feet hurt from too much walking or Starbucks isn’t open 24 hours. LOL

    • myke2241 - 9 years ago

      if life was that simple but its not. you don’t have to be a professional to have great knowledge regarding any subject. additionally just because your a professional doesn’t mean your good at what you do. and finally everyone has the right to opinion. BTW open your mind up to non-burnt coffee. you will thank me.

  9. yojimbo007 - 9 years ago

    The monk pic is amazing !!!:)

  10. CURmudgeon (@swampwulf) - 9 years ago

    Only a couple of weeks in and we see NatGeo shifting to ‘sponsored content’.

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.